LETTERS

To The Editor

It is important to mention that thousands of Indian students, who have come to Australia for professional courses, are pursuing their career without any problems

Zahid Jamil

In these deafening voices of outcry of racism, what we really need is some introspection - a sincere and painful review of our own conduct, and ways to examine avenues to strengthen our own communitya

Sunil Gupta

Have something to say?

Send it in to GPO Box 108 Sydney 2001 or email it to info@indianlink.com.au

Congratulations on your excellent editorial (Everything has gone wrong, March-1, 2010). You have demonstrated how damaging it can be to make broad judgements before all the evidence is in and evaluated. Moreover by honestly and fearlessly addressing a sensitive issue with balance and common sense, you have provided counsel that in my view should be heeded by everyone in Australia, not just the Indian community.

Bruce Heilbuth Pymble NSW

Betrayed by the media

The killing of an Indian toddler in Melbourne made headlines in India, Australia and around the world a couple of weeks back. As usual, in India it was again seen as a racist attack in an ongoing saga of attacks on Indian students over the past one and half years.

It once again turned out to be a crime committed by a close Indian friend who lived with the toddler’s parents in the same house. Similarly previous fatal crimes of an Indian man in Griffith, NSW and of two men in Perth were linked to Indians, known to the victims. Each time such a crime is committed, it makes headlines in India as another racist attack. However, once police investigation reveals that the crime was committed by none other than an Indian, the Indian media simply goes silent and people in India are thus kept in the dark.

Due to the sensitive nature of the relationship between the two countries, politicians are reluctant to speak the truth, which provides the media ample opportunity to exploit the situation.

It is important to mention that thousands of Indian students, who have come to Australia for professional courses, are pursuing their career without any problems. They attend decent professional colleges or universities, do not indulge in undesired behaviour and are extremely happy to have come to a very peaceful and one of the most prosperous nations on earth.

Indians living in Australia feel seriously betrayed by the media of their country of origin. They repeatedly write in newspaper blogs and protest against the media hype. They have lived in Australia for many years in a respectable environment, but such incidents have dented the image of Indians in Australia.

I am an Indian Muslim and have lived in Australia for nearly 20 years. As an Indian I have had no issues with local Australians; rather, I win respect as they presume that Indians are generally better educated. (However, when locals come to know that I am

So true

Hats off to Pawan Luthra for his editorial in Indian Link March-1, 2010 (Everything has gone wrong). This is exactly how most of us feel. His last sentence rings so true: Indians in Australia are intelligent, well meaning people; perhaps a better appreciation and respect for rules will ensure that we all get it right more often than wrong. I hope more people get to read this editorial and try and understand what message Pawan Luthra is trying to convey to all Indian Australians.

Premila Singh Strathfield NSW

also a Muslim then I tend to find them a bit discriminatory, more so since 9/11). India as a nation has a positive image in Australia as it is seen as a rapidly developing economy with strong democratic credentials

Zahid Jamil Sydney NSW

Taking a good look at ourselves

I read your article ‘Everything has gone wrong’ and agree that the events of recent times and the hysteria that the Indian electronic media has created has led to a situation where truth has taken the bottom of the priority list, giving way to sensationalism, blame apportioning and finger-pointing.

I am definitely not saying that all the conclusions drawn by the Indian media were wrong, but the truth remains that sadly the majority of them are halfconjectures and nothing but the assortment of clichés that one can hear at any pub or over weekend gossip.

More disturbing is the fact that it has formed and shaped public opinion in India about Australia and has left virtually little or no space for people who oppose the tide.

In these deafening voices of outcry of racism, what we really need is some introspection - a sincere and painful review of our own conduct, and ways to examine avenues to strengthen our own community, so that we can handle any such issues in a legitimate way. In addition to what you have said, I have compiled a list of events that will make almost everyone rethink on the issue, “Is Australia a racist society or do we need to first clean our own backyard?”

1. Two Indian brothers were murdered in Perth allegedly by a compatriot after a dispute over money and living arrangements at a rented Crimea Street unit in Morley area. Police have charged a 22-year-old Indian student with two counts of murder.

2. A married Indian student was charged with raping a 14-year-old girl in Brisbane in May 2009.

3. Taxi driver Rajveer Singh, 21, was arrested and charged with one count of raping a 40-year-old female passenger in inner Melbourne in November last year. 4. Indian student Puneet Puneet is wanted for murder in Australia. He is hiding in India.

5. An Indian national was remanded in custody in Western Victoria charged with sexually assaulting two girls. Joginder Singh, 23, allegedly performed sexual acts with the girls in a car in Horsham after buying them alcohol. He has been charged with sexual penetration and indecent acts with a child under 16.

6. Two men charged with raping a 14-yearold girl in Melbourne have been remanded in custody. Lalor man Ravinder Singh, 30, and Steven Handros, 18, of Thomastown are facing multiple charges of rape, sexual assault and imprisonment. The court heard the girl and her friend agreed to meet the men at the Lalor Railway Station in September last year. Police told the court they were then taken to a nearby house and plied with alcohol. The court was told Singh sexually assaulted the 14-yearold before locking her in a bedroom and raping her, ignoring her screams. A short time later, Handros allegedly raped her while she was passed out on the bed. I would urge everyone to take whatever action they can to make sure that these ugly events do not happen again. We must make sure that those who did these shameful acts in the first place are brought to justice. If we ignore this then we don’t have to blame anyone but our own selves.

Sunil Gupta Glen Waverley VIC.

NSW versus Victoria

Why is it safer to be Indian in NSW than in Victoria? It’s partly by the large Indian diaspora in NSW having clout. NSW Police are also better resourced than Victorian Police, who battle for funds. Here’s a stark example. Two years ago they got denied upgrade of a communication system that would have meant more warnings to people in bushfire-prone areas. It almost certainly cost Victorian lives in 2009. Victoria’s spending is lopsided. The Victorian government is devoted to an ever growing Mental Health budget (for subjective diagnosis of mental illness and potent psychiatric drugs). It’s causing lack of funds elsewhere. The question is, what gives tangible results? Basic law and order should get priority over funding addictive drugs.

Linda Vij Mascot NSW

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